Anders
Anders of the Horn is a Valeman serving as the Leader of the Smith's Brotherhood. Biography Anders was born to Ser Harlon of the Horn, a knight in the service of House Redfort, and Anna, a lady-in-waiting to the young Lady Piper. Ser Harlon returned to the Vale after bedding lady Anna, and did not acknowledged publicly that Anders was his son. As such, Anders spent the first four years of his life in the Piper Household, before his mother was dismissed due to the time it required to take care of a young child. Anna frantically wrote to Ser Harlon, who agreed to take Anders in, but refused to acknowledge him as his child. As such, Anders was sent to the Vale in guise of a page for Ser Harlon. In the Vale, Anders grew to quickly detest his father. He would spit in his father's ale and tried to protest his duties at every turn. In exchange, Anders was often beaten or forced to find his own food and grew to hate his father more with every passing day. It was during these times that Anders learned to lose himself in books, slowly devoting himself to more scholarly studies, despite his father wishing him to learn swordplay. Harlon called his son a coward, and stated that if he was to become a knight he would need to learn to wield a weapon. In response, Anders studied the bow, and became a skilled archer, capable of taking out targets from afar. As Anders grew older, the altercations with his father became more violent. Anders learned several skills that would help him later in life as he dealt with his father. He would hide from him, steal from him and spike his drink to make him sleep for entire days. Anders would continue to study when he could, often stealing tomes from House Redfort's library and burning them when he was done to destroy the evidence. Anders would also start to form friendships with those who had suffered such as he had, such as Harlon's other squire, Benjen, and the young Gregor, who was the cook's son. Anders tried to escape his father's grasp twice, but was foiled both times. The first time he didn't even make it out of the stables, and was pulled down from the horse and broke his arm. The second time, he made it several miles out, but was caught by his father and his retinue, and beat nearly to death by Harlon. In 381 AC, Brynden's Rebellion broke. Anders was forced to serve as Harlon's squire as he marched to war in the service of House Redfort. Anders hated this, stating that he didn't care who was King. After seeing the first skirmish, Anders decided that he would not participate in slaughter any longer. It was around this time that he met a camp-follower, Alyssa, whom Anders wished to run away with. When Harlon discovered this, he took Alyssa for himself and forced her to bed him, and made Anders sit outside the tent as he did so. Shortly after, Harlon fought in a battle against the loyalist forces. He did not survive the fight, despite being in the back ranks. They found Harlon with an arrow through his neck, and Anders, Gregor and Benjen gone. They paid little care into the death of Ser Harlon, and never learned that it was Anders' arrow that had deftly found itself impaled into his father. Anders and his friends would retreat into the Riverlands with different missions. Benjen wished for glory, Gregor gold -- Anders wished to find his mother. Unsuccessful at all their quests after a year, the trio became disillusioned. Benjen found that glory was temporary, and now matter the fight, they would be forgotten. There was never enough gold in the world for Gregor, or it was taken from him. Anders, came to the realisation that his mother was likely dead. Shortly after, the trio formed the Smith's Brotherhood, initially wanting to help those that had been wronged such as them. However as they gained members and notority, they became further disillusioned and simply started to take from those that they felt wronged them. They would ambush trade convoys, kidnap lordlings who strayed too far from their keep and demanded ransom. They kept their operations undercover for the most part, but Anders, their leader could feel that things would soon change. With the tides of Westeros setting, opportunity was there. It was time to carve a world that they wanted, through whatever means necessary. Timeline * 365 AC: Anders is born out of wedlock to Anna, a lady-in-waiting to Lady Piper, and Ser Harlon, a knight of the Vale serving House Redfort. * 369 AC: Anders is sent to his father in the Vale, although his parentage is never acknowledged. * 372 AC: Serves as a cup-bearer to his father, who had grown rather complacent in court. Anders begins to study history, as well as hone his skills with the bow. * 380 AC: Grows disillusioned with his father and attempts to run away, twice -- but fails both times. * 381 AC: Brynden's Rebellion, Anders is sent to serve as a squire to his father. * 382 AC: Harlon dies in battle (unknown that it is by his own son's hand), and Anders flees to the Riverlands to find his mother. * 383 AC: Anders is unable to find his mother after a year of searching, and comes to the conclusion that she is dead. * 384 AC: Anders with his friends, form the Smith's Brotherhood. * 385 AC: The Smith's Brotherhood grows, and they head to King's Landing in search of prize and gold. Family Tree * Ser Harlon of the Horn (deceased), a knight formerly in the service of House Redfort. Died during Brynden's Rebellion. * Mother: Anna, lady-in-waiting to Supporting Characters * Benjen of the Horn (Calvary General): A member of the Smith's Brotherhood and a close friend of Anders * Gregor (Reaver): A member of the Smith's Brotherhood and a close friend of Anders * Ser Ryan (Warrior: Swords): a newer member of the Smith's Brotherhood, one of the few members who is an anointed knight. Category:Valeman